Low Homicide Rate `Phenomenal`: Coroner

April 16, 1986|By William Presecky.

For a population estimated at more than 720,000, having only six homicides recorded in Du Page County last year was ``nothing less than phenomenal,`` according to chief deputy coroner Richard Ballinger.

In fact, statistics released this week by county Coroner Robert K.

``Tiny`` Matthews indicate that homicides in Du Page dropped to 6 in 1985 from 10 in 1984.

The six homicides, five women and one man, compute to one homicide per 120,000 residents. By comparison, the estimated 940 homicides recorded in Cook County for 1985 compute to roughly one homicide per 5,500 residents.

Ballinger said the county`s 1985 homicide rate was so small that it would not be meaningful to try to analyze trends in Du Page homicides from one year to the next.

The county recorded 12 homicides in 1983, 17 in 1982, 16 in 1981 and 11 in 1980, 1979 and 1978.

Lake County, comparable in size to Du Page, registered 19 homicides in 1985 and 15 in 1984.

According to Ballinger, none of the coroner`s 1985 statistics indicate any significant changes or trends.

According to the report, Matthews` office investigated 1,671 deaths in 1985, including 631 cases in which death was attributed to natural causes.

Other accidents, which included eight falls, three drug overdoses, three industrial accidents, two drownings and two electrocutions, claimed 30 lives. There was one fire-related death and one accidental shooting death.

The deaths of 54 men and 22 women were judged to be suicides. Nearly half of the suicides involved drugs, alcohol or a combination of the two, and 20 suicides were gun-related, according to the statistics.

In 13 deaths the cause remains undetermined.

Of the 36 drivers killed in accidents in Du Page County last year, 13 were found to have had enough alcohol in their blood to be declared legally drunk. In 1984, 14 of the 33 drivers who died in Du Page County traffic accidents were found to be drunk.